Florida man arrested after trying to cross Atlantic in home-made hamster wheel
Facebook: U.S. Coast guardA man from Florida has been arrested on federal charges for attempting to cross the Atlantic Ocean in a “human-powered hamster wheel.”
Florida Man is one of the internet’s oldest memes, popularized in 2013 when users began posting illogical and absurd fake news stories set in the US state. But now the meme has come to life.
Reza Baluchi made it 70 miles off Georgia in his “hydro-pod” when he was arrested by the Coast Guard, resulting in a “bizarre three-day standoff” with authorities.
He had been attempting to cross the Atlantic all the way to England, but instead of taking an airplane or boat, Baluchi set off on his adventure in a “human-powered hamster wheel.”
According to a Facebook post made by the US Coast Guard, the vessel “was afloat as a result of wiring and buoys.” And yet despite the dangers involved in Baluchi’s “manifestly unsafe voyage,” he refused to get off the vessel.
Instead, Bulachi made numerous threats to prevent officers from boarding. At one point he
displayed “two knives and threatened to hurt himself” and even claimed to have a bomb onboard, though this was later revealed not to be true.
He has since been charged with obstruction of boarding and has been given a bond of $250,000.
Facebook: U.S. Coast guardInterestingly enough, this isn’t the first time Baluchi has attempted to cross the ocean in a hamster-esque fashion. In 2014 he was found in an inflatable bubble, once again 70 miles off of Florida with the intention of reaching the Bermuda Triangle.
Maybe next time, Baluchi might consider some more standard ways of travel. Check out all the latest entertainment news on our page here.